Civil 3D was designed with both large-scale linear infrastructures and smaller-scale urban development projects in mind. How well-known is it among industry professionals?

VINCENT FREDON: It’s not well-known enough yet. Civil 3D

has long been used for major infrastructure projects such as

highways and railways. For a number of reasons, chief among

them market inertia, many urban planners are still using the

tools they’ve always had, which means they’re missing out on

the powerful new features that Civil 3D has to offer.

GUILLAUME BERSON: It also has to be said that Civil 3D has

evolved massively in recent years, as a result of considerable

investment. It’s now a multipurpose toolbox for planning

and modeling, whatever the project scale. It's an all-around

solution that works just as well for city centers as it does for

rail corridors.

You worked alongside a customer as part of a demonstration project, testing how Civil 3D can be put to use in urban planning.

Can you tell us the background to that? What conclusions did you reach?

VINCENT FREDON: Obviously, it wasn’t the first time Civil

3D had been used for urban planning. But on this particular

occasion, we really wanted to show what it could do.

The customer—a team from a major industry player in the

French and international markets—wanted to see how far Civil

3D could take them on a specific urban project. Two years ago

they approached us, because they didn’t have the resources

to explore all of Civil 3D’s capabilities on their own.

GUILLAUME BERSON: The task involved using Civil 3D to

reconstruct a real project—a ZAC (joint development zone) in

Châtenay-Malabry, near Paris—that the customer had already

completed using another tool, which meant we could make a

direct comparison. We took all the customer’s data and all the

components of this urban project and completely remodeled

the scenario in Civil 3D. It was the ideal case study: complex,

representative and, above all, very specific. We worked closely

with the customer to develop the final demonstrator.

Civil 3D for urban planning

CASE STUDY

Autodesk experts discuss Civil 3D’s many talents

Once used solely for large-scale linear infrastructures, Autodesk Civil 3D is showing that it has much more to offer.

As part of a demonstration project in cooperation with Autodesk, one of the French market’s major players recently

set out to discover all the features this urban planning tool has to offer.

Autodesk planning software specialists Vincent Fredon and Guillaume Berson were on hand to provide support.

The pair spoke to us about the background to the project, why Civil 3D offers seemingly endless possibilities, and

how a change in approach is needed to capitalize on them.

Their feedback was really positive. In addition to seeing

for themselves that Civil 3D can achieve the same results,

they’re now developing their own methods so they can use it

on their own. Data from the project will soon be available to

other users for demonstration purposes.

Which Civil 3D functions did you use?

GUILLAUME BERSON: Naturally, we used the classic

infrastructure modeling functions, such as public highways,

plus connections to main roads and the existing road

network, as well as more specific urban planning tools

including on-site roadways, plazas, footpaths, and cycle

paths, which are often more complex.

This project featured a landscaped area that crossed the

main road, with elements such as stairways, ramps, low walls,

and split levels. Thanks to Civil 3D, we were able to manage

this geometric complexity. There were also underground

networks to address, including stormwater systems, gravity

and pressure networks, and dry networks such as electricity

and telecommunications.

VINCENT FREDON: Thanks to the integration of AutoCAD

and AutoCAD Architecture into Civil 3D, many additional

functions beyond core infrastructure tools can be used to

enhance designs. That’s something the demo project really

benefited from. With Civil 3D also being integrated into the

AEC Collection, it allows more seamless interaction with

other solutions such as Revit, Navisworks, and the ACC

collaborative platform.

Have you noticed any differences in how the software is used and major civil engineering and infrastructure projects? And are there any differences compared to the tools that the customer has been using up to now?

VINCENT FREDON: When it comes to urban planning,

approaches based on cross-sectional and longitudinal

profiles can’t cover every need. Plazas, gardens, and

footpaths require more flexible modeling tools.

Civil 3D lets customers combine different methods

combined to cover all requirements. The results are entirely

satisfactory, but in ways that may seem a little abstract to

anyone used to working with other software.

When you use Civil 3D for urban planning projects, what changes in the way you go about things?

VINCENT FREDON: Integration into the Autodesk ecosystem

is a real asset. It means teams can carry on using the tools

they’re familiar with, while working together more effectively

in the cloud. Data exchange is fluid, project reviews are easier,

and everyone can work together in the same environment.

GUILLAUME BERSON: What really impressed the

customer was the ability to publish data in a common data

environment, or CDE, which can be accessed from a browser.

You can even view the project in 2D and 3D, in real time,

without having to install any software.

All stakeholders have access to updated files and can

comment on or amend them. There’s total transparency both

in-house and in dealings with the customer. Some tasks can

also be automated thanks to API. And bringing AI into the

process makes things even easier.

In terms of the demo project, were requirements relating to the BIM process met?

GUILLAUME BERSON: Yes, absolutely. Civil 3D’s native format

is DWG, but it handles IFC file imports really well and can

export IFC files too. This is especially useful for customers

with BIM obligations, especially if they’re working with public

sector clients. This degree of flexibility allows them to meet

every requirement in the specifications.

Every tool has its own specific features, and to make the most of Civil 3D’s, you have to start from scratch. But once you've managed to change your approach and look at this tool with an open mind, you'll find a host of extremely powerful features.

–Vincent Fredon Solution Engineer AEC, Autodesk

Did your customer know that Civil 3D was already listed among the Autodesk tools to which they have access?

VINCENT FREDON: Yes, they have an Enterprise Business

Agreement, or EBA, and they knew that Civil 3D formed part of

the agreement. However, while the team heading up the project

does work in linear infrastructure, they specialize in urban

planning and had only a partial understanding of Civil 3D.

GUILLAUME BERSON: What surprised them was that Civil

3D can manage the entire workflow, from design through to

detailed modeling. Many customers who are AEC Collection

subscribers still don’t know that it includes Civil 3D, which is

a shame because they’re missing out on a very powerful tool

that’s theirs already.

What would you say to customers in the urban sector who want to switch to Civil 3D?

VINCENT FREDON: My first piece of advice would be to take

a fresh look at Civil 3D. The second is to do some testing

and create a proof of concept rather than dive straight into

a new project.

And above all, ask for help. We have a lot of resources

at Autodesk, including training courses, videos,

documentation in French, and forums, and our partners are

there to support you too. For more information, click here.

GUILLAUME BERSON: You don’t have to give up everything

for Civil 3D. Start by using it on certain types of project,

along with other tools, and then gradually extend it to

other projects. This will help you keep additional software

licensing costs down. Many customers start out this way

and end up doing everything in Civil 3D themselves.

GUILLAUME BERSON

As an AEC technical specialist at Autodesk, Guillaume helps

infrastructure stakeholders discover, understand, and adopt

innovative solutions from the AEC Collection by sharing his

expertise through articles, videos, and demonstrations.

VINCENT FREDON

Vincent has been an infrastructure solution engineer at

Autodesk for more than ten years. He helps customers use

design, modeling, and collaboration tools so they can meet their

challenges, optimize their methods, and be more productive.

THE EXPERTS

Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, AutoCAD, Revit, Navisworks, and Civil 3D are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Autodesk reserves the right to change its product and service offerings, product specifications, and pricing at any time without notice. Autodesk is not responsible for any typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2025 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

Civil 3D has a limitless number of tools and virtually infinite capabilities. Once you get started, the rest flows naturally.

–Guillaume Berson Solution Engineer AEC, Autodesk

Discover Civil 3D

https://www.autodesk.com/fr/campaigns/formation-civil-3d?msockid=0692ff1371196d7e1b7deaec70f26c52 https://boards.autodesk.com/civil-3d-urban-planning